RIVER BIRCH

4674 Johnson Cove

River Birch (Betula nigra)

Quercus stellata, the post oak or iron oak, is a North American species of oak in the white oak section. It is a slow-growing oak that lives in dry areas on the edges of fields, tops of ridges, also grows in poor soils and is resistant to rot, fire and drought. Quercus stellata is native to the eastern and central United States, and found along the coast from Massachusetts to Florida, and as far inland as Nebraska. It is identifiable by the rounded cross-like shape formed by the leaf lobes and hair underside of the leaves. The post oak is a relatively small tree, typically 33-49 feet tall and trunk 12-24 inches in diameter, though occasional specimens reach 98 feet tall and 55 inches in diameter. The leaves have a very distinctive shape, with three perpendicula terminal lobes, shaped much like a Maltese cross. The branching pattern of the post oak often gives it a rugged appearance. Its acorns are .5-.75 inches long, and are mature in their first summer.